AMD Phenom Released!

[dsio]

Well, launched as it were. A few links to reputable reviewers for the skinny on AMD's new chip:

AnandTech: AMD's Phenom Unveiled: A Somber Farewell to K8
[H] Enthusiast - AMD Phenom & Spider vs Intel QX9770

It appears, clock for clock, to be slower than the Core2 for the most part, and clocked much lower, is not really competitive.

That said, there is always hope, and if AMD can get their 65nm process worked out, and can get chips near 3Ghz, it could keep intel honest, if nothing else.

To Quote Kyle Bennett of HardOCP though:

AMD has to scale, and scale quickly. I have seen Phenom processors running at 3.6GHz (air cooled) on the 790FX chipset. AMD needs 3GHz+ to be a retail reality soon, but sadly I simply don’t see it happening.

Kyle says he's seen a Phenom, this early running at 3.6Ghz on the spider platform with air cooling. Which, if true could mean there is at least hope.

[Favu]

I'm hoping there is hope!!

[keithwalton]

The B2 chips are just not going to do that, since they've had to pull the 2.4GHz part because of a bug.

Depending on how long they have known about the bug in the B2 revision, B3 could be upto 3 months away. By that time the phenon will most certainly be facing the penryn based cpu's to which it doesnt stand a chance.

There was hope for amd if the phenon was clock for clock faster than intel's quad. As price wise the Q6600 fits inbetween the two cpu's released today but clocks faster.

Anandtech are kind in that they only ever put the phenom up against the Q6600, tomshardware are not so nice they put it up against the QX9650 (3GHz yorkfield) which obliterates the poor chip, not to mention the QX can be overclocked by nearly 50% quite easily. (4.3GHz on air)

Supreme comander is one of the only quad core games, at least in this test it can beat the A64 (it looses in alot of other tests) 3D-Games - Supreme Commander, Serious Sam 2 : AMD Phenom - The Spider Weaves its Web

And to think intel were worried and rushed out a sample of the QX9770 (3.2GHz 1600fsb) in case amd actually had something up there sleeve

[Áedán]

I'm a little confused why the issue supposedly affecting the L3 cache only affects processors that have a speed rating 2.4GHz and above (as opposed to overclocked)?

[keithwalton]

I believe its because the L3 cache / northbridge run at 2GHz independant of the cpu core speed I suspect as the speed difference to the cpu cores gets greater the problem gets worse.

Its quite a rare failure to have but none the less it does exist and is reproducable, which makes the cpu unfit for sale.
So overclocking is possible as long as you dont attempt to run the combination of programs which is known to cause it to crash!

[Pitch]

Originally Posted by keithwalton

Anandtech are kind in that they only ever put the phenom up against the Q6600, tomshardware are not so nice they put it up against the QX9650 (3GHz yorkfield) which obliterates the poor chip, not to mention the QX can be overclocked by nearly 50% quite easily. (4.3GHz on air)

I would certainly hope that a $1100 chip beats it.

[dsio]

I'm still heading for a January upgrade... If Phenom is up to par by then, I'll buy it, with the associated AMD 7 series motherboard, and an 8800GT.

If not... much as it sickens me to say it... I'll get a Yorkfield under my waterblock and see if I can't sweat 4Ghz out of it.

[keithwalton]

Originally Posted by Pitch

I would certainly hope that a $1100 chip beats it.

A chip that has been $266 (Q6600) for the last 4 months and has been out 9 months or so (its bigger brother has been with us a year now) also gives the phenom a good thrashing.
The now non existant 2.4GHz Phenom at best could match the Q6600 in some tests, even an overclocked 2.6GHz version very rarely gets ahead.

And considering most Q6600's can do 3GHz (stock vcore on mine) out of the box in a decent mobo...

I was really hoping that the phenom could at least clock for clock beat the kentsfield.

But clock for clock its slower,
clock for clock its more expensive,
clock for clock it needs more power.
(though there isnt a direct clock for clock comparison anymore).

In quad core optimised aps it does ok against the A64 X2, in single / dual core aps, the x2 is faster.

to AMD for at least trying, but the 'B2' gamble looks like it hasn't paid off.

Looking at UK suppliers a Phenom 9500 (2.2GHz) will set you back £170, a 9600 (2.3GHz) £200,
A Q6600 (2.4GHz) on the other hand will set you back £156 (oem) or £160 (retail)
Intel have also mentioned that they will be drastically dropping there prices shortly on the arrival of the Q9000 series, in which a 2.5GHz Yorkfield will cost the same as a Q6600 does now

[Daniel ~]

This is the point in a prize fight where everyone starts looking for the ref to step in to keep it from getting really ugly...We are so much better off with AMD than without her. Even Intel is better off with real competition than without it...

[TrevorS]

Fascinating write up on Barcelona Vs K8 and Core-Duo linked in that article. It looked like exciting stuff and times, but I guess the reality, at least for now, is falling a little short. I pretty much surrounded myself with K8's a couple or so years ago (three Manchesters and one Venice) and they are easily meeting my needs. As long as AMD gets back on the horse eventually, I doubt I'll need to take the Intel route!